Washington, DC, August 7 :
On Tuesday, US Central Command announced that it had neutralized two Iranian-backed Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen over the Red Sea, as well as one Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle. U.S. Central Command issued a statement claiming that the weapons in question presented a "clear and imminent threat" to coalition forces, merchant vessels, and US interests in the area.
In a statement made available on X, US Central Command said, "In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle and two Iranian-backed Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen over the Red Sea."
"The U.S. and coalition forces were clearly and immediately threatened by these weapons, and
trading ships in the area. "The instability and security of the region is being jeopardized by the reckless and dangerous behavior of the Houthis, who are backed by Iran," it continued.
The United States military announced earlier on August 3 that it had destroyed a Houthi land attack cruise missile (LACM) in Yemeni territory held by the Houthis, which was backed by Iran. Statement from US Central Command: "In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed an Iranian-backed Houthi missile and launcher in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen."
"It was determined that the LACM presented an imminent threat to US and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region," an additional statement read. The freedom of navigation and the security of international waters were the primary goals of these measures.
There has been a heightened state of alert in the West Asia region due to recent events, including the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on July 31 in Tehran during an official visit to Iran and Hezbollah's top military leader Faud Shukr in an airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, on July 30.
Since Israel began its counteroffensive against Hamas in Gaza following the attack on October 7, the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, have attacked ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden multiple times using missiles and drones.
Over 50 attacks on shipping have been carried out by the Houthis, leading to injuries, vessel seizures, and interruptions to global commerce routes, according to the US Maritime Administration. Affected is the roughly 12% of world traffic that passes through the Red Sea that has been diverted by shipping companies as a result of the campaign.
United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directed the deployment of more fighter planes and naval vessels to the West Asian theater on August 2. The Pentagon also said that the United States is preparing to deploy additional land-based ballistic missile defenses.
The US Department of Defense (DOD) issued a statement stating that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin "has ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the US European Command and US Central Command regions.".
Austin has directed the substitution of the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, which is presently deployed in the Central Command area of responsibility, with the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group in order to keep a carrier strike group presence in West Asia.
